Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Emergency Rental Assistance Program

About the Program

Category: Human Services (Best in Category)

Year: 2022

The City of Winston-Salem and Forsyth County, North Carolina collaborated after both received separate fund allocations from the US Treasury under the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 and the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. These funds were to assist low-income residents who are behind on their rent and/or utilities payments because of the COVID-19 pandemic (directly or indirectly). The City/County collaboration had a goal to create a seamless process for citizens to access this assistance, regardless of residency in either the City of Winston-Salem or Forsyth County. One electronic portal for applications was created for citizens as well as a single call center and in-person lab to assist with application submission. The collaboration team implemented a single marketing and outreach plan. The process of allocating the funds to the correct funding source was handled on the back end by the City of Winston-Salem and Forsyth County program staff. When funding was exhausted for the City of Winston-Salem, the collaborative planning team ensured that transition of the program operations from a joint venture to a single entity (County of Forsyth) would remain seamless for the citizens with little to no interruption in processing of applications.